Cedar Point Light (Maryland)

Cedar Point Light, also known as the Cedar Point Bar Light, is a historic lighthouse located in the Chesapeake Bay off the shore of Cedar Point in Maryland. It was constructed in 1839 to mark the dangerous Cedar Point shoal, a significant navigational hazard for ships entering and exiting the Patuxent River and other Chesapeake Bay waterways.

The lighthouse is a screw-pile lighthouse, a design prevalent in the Chesapeake Bay due to its adaptation to the shallow, soft bottom conditions. It consists of a hexagonal wooden dwelling sitting atop an iron screw-pile foundation driven into the seabed. The structure originally housed a sixth-order Fresnel lens, which was later upgraded to a fifth-order lens.

Over the years, Cedar Point Light served as a vital aid to navigation, guiding mariners safely through the treacherous waters. However, with improvements in navigational technology and the subsequent automation of lighthouses, it became obsolete. The light was deactivated in 1962 and replaced by an automated buoy.

Following its decommissioning, the lighthouse fell into disrepair and was threatened with collapse. It was eventually acquired by the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Maryland. In 1988, the museum undertook a major restoration project, carefully dismantling the structure and moving it to the museum grounds for preservation.

Today, Cedar Point Light is a prominent exhibit at the Calvert Marine Museum. Visitors can tour the lighthouse and learn about its history, the lives of the lightkeepers who served there, and the importance of lighthouses in maritime navigation. The lighthouse stands as a testament to the region's maritime heritage and a reminder of the challenges faced by mariners navigating the Chesapeake Bay. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.